Coin-controlled apparatus



A ril 8, 1952 COIN-CONTROLLED A. G. ROWE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 9, 1948 rminim Ill! man

A //Vl//V 70/? 144 FEED GEORGEoM s A T TORNE) Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS Alfred. George Rowe, Tasmania, Australia Application September 9, 1948, Serial No. 48,437 In Australia July 18, 1947 3 Claims.

This invention relates to coin-controlled apparatus and is concerned principally with coinactuated gasoline dispensing apparatus, although it may readily be adapted for use with any coincontroilled dispensing apparatus whereitrom a purchaser may receive a single serving or any number of consecutive single servings, on insertion of one or a series of coins of the correct denominations.

The invention may best be described with reference to a gasoline-dispensing apparatus, wherein, after the insertion of coins of the correct value, a gallon of gasoline may be obtained, or, after a series of coins have been inserted, an equivalent number of gallons may be dispensed after a coin-carrying slide has been finally operated, the total discharge taking place aftera delivery hose has been removed from its holder.

In known apparatus, a selector wheel is arranged to be actuated by the movement of a coin slide. In the said apparatus, the insertion of a charge of coins enables the coin slide to be pushed in, which action causes the selector wheel to rotate to a given extent, and, inso doing, set a pump in operation to deliver one gallon of gasoline after the coin slide has been pulled back, and the-delivery hose has been removed from its holder.

The said apparatus also provides that the coin slide may be operated any number of times to deliver any given number of gallons, the final delivery of the total gallons purchased being accomplished after the whole has been paid for by repeated actions of the coin slide.-

The principal object of this invention is primarily to provide positive controlling and selectto enable the main-integers comprising the slide rod, selector wheel, escapement and dash-pot mechanism to be observed.

v Fig. 2 is a plan view.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the relative dispositions of the partsat the completion of the inward movement of the slide rod.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation showing the relative dispositions of the parts during a return movement of the selector wheel.

Fig. 5 is a partial side elevation from the left side of Fig. 3.

In carrying the invention into practical efiect, side plates. 5 and 6 are provided, supportedv in parallel relationship by transverse spacers such as 1.

Between the plates a wheel 8 is fitted, mounted on and rotating with a rotatable shaft 9 which has fitted on one end an arm [I], the movements' of which are utilized to open and close an electric switch, or to lock and unlock manually-operated mechanism for pumping liquid.

The wheel 8 is provided with a circular series of pegs ll projecting from both its faces, the said pegs being equal in number and disposition on each face of the wheel.

The inner end of a flat, coiled spring I2 is afiixed to the shaft 9 and the outer end i3 of the spring is fastened to a stud l4 secured-in the side plate 5. The spring l2 acts to bias the shaft 9 and wheel 8 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in He. 1.

A slide rod l5, suitably guided for reciprocation in a lengthwise direction, is adapted for connection to a coin slide (not shown) and a detent I6 on the slide rod I5 is arranged to engage the pegs ll of the selector wheel 8 during thein 'ward'movement of the coin slide and slide rod 1 5, i. e. movement toward the right in Fig. l.

A double pawl escapernent I7 is fitted on a rock-shaft l8 and is adapted to retain the wheel 8 against return movement by the spring I 2, each time it has been rotated forwardly by an'inward movement of the slide rod l5.

A second rock-shaft l9 carries an arm 20 at the end of which is a striker 2! over which the end of the slide rod [5 passes at the completion of its forward movement.

The rock-shaft I9 carries a secondarm 22 connected to the piston 23 of a dash pot 24.

A third rock-shaft 19 is provided on which there is. an arm 26 adapted for connection to a cam-actuated push rod 21, the movements of which are controlled by a metering device in the associated dispensing apparatus.

The rock-shaft l9. also carries two arms 28 and. 29 which are mounted on the outer end of the said shaft and extend in opposite directions, one of the arms 28 extending rearwardly while the other arm 29 extends forwardly. The rearwardly extending arm 28 is adapted to contact a vertically movable lifter plate 30. The forwardly extending arm 29 has a portion 3| which underlies and is adapted to engage a fixed stop member 32 secured to the top portion of the side plate 5 to limit movement of the rock-shaft I9 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1.

The second rock-shaft I9 carries at its end an arm 33 which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a vertically movable rod 33 The rockshaft III-on which the escapement pawl I1 is mounted-carries an arm 34 which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a second vertically movable rod 34. Below the arm 34, there is a stop member 35 in the form of a bracket secured to the bottom portion of the side plate and provided with an adjusting screw 36 to adjust the extent of movement of the arm 34 and The two rods 33 and 34 extend up through holes in the lifter plate 30 and are provided at their upper ends with nuts 33 and 34 respectively, so that when the lifter plate 38 israised.

by the arm 28 on the rock-shaft I9 the rods 33 and 34 are also moved upwardly, thereby act-' ing through arms 33 and 34, respectively, to rock the shafts I9 and I8. A tension spring 31 acts between the arm 33 and the stop member 35 to pull downwardly on the arm 33. e

In operation, the slide rod I5 is pushed inwardly a number of times corresponding to the number of units, e. g. gallons, to be delivered. Each time the slide rod is pushed in, the detent I6 on the rod engages a peg I I of the wheel 8 and moves the wheel an increment of revolution against the bias of the spiral spring I2. The rotation of the wheel 8 thus stores up energy in the spring for returning the wheelto its originalposition. As the wheel 8 is rotated by the slide rod I5, the double pawl escapement I1 comes into operation to hold the wheel 8 after each partial revolution. Providing the delivery hose is not removed from its holder, the coin slide may be operated any number of times, and on each inward movement of the coin slide and'the slide rod I5, the wheel 8 is given a partial rotation and is held by the escapement II.

With the first increment of rotation of the wheel 8 and its shaft 8, the arm I8 carried by the shaft is moved in a clockwise direction as viewed iniFig. 1 and acts to prepare for delivery, e. g.-, by closing a switch, to start a motor for pumping gasoline to the metering.device.- The motor will continue to operate until delivery has been completed and the wheel 8 and arm I0 have returned to their original positions.

After the coin slide and the slide rod I5 have been pushed in and pulled back one or more times, as described above, the delivery hose of the dispensing apparatus is removed from its supports. Removal of the hose from its support -en-- ables the metering mechanism to operate. Each time a unit is delivered, the metering mechanism lifts the rod 21, thereby rocking the rock-shaft I9 in a counterclockwise direction and causing the arm 28 carried by the shaft IEI to lift the lifter plate 30. The upward movement of the lifter plate 30 lifts the rods 33 and 34*- which act through the arms 33 and 34 to rock the rockshafts I9 and I8, respectively, i n a counterclockwise direction. The rocking of shaft. I8 releases the escapement II to permit the wheel 8 to turn the rock-shaft I9 and the rock-shaft I9, 1. e. through the arm 28, lifter plate 30, lifting rod 33 and arm 33, permit the dash pot arrangement to hold the slide rod I5 up even after the rod 21 has returned to its lower position.

It will thus be understood that each time a unit is delivered, the metering mechanism acts through the rod 21 and the linkage described to release the escapement I1 and to lift the slide rod I5, allowing the wheel 8 to be returned step by step to its initial position. When the return of the wheel is complete, the arm III on the shaft 9 of the wheel 8 opens the switch to shut off the pump motor.

I claim: I

1. In mechanism of the kind described for use with dispensing apparatus, a rotatably mounted selector wheel carrying an arcuate series of spaced pegs, a spring for rotating the wheel in one direction, a slide rod disposed approximately tangentially to a portion of said wheel and reciprocable in a lengthwise direction, a detent carried by said slide rod normally in the path of movement of said pegs and adapted to engage the pegs of said wheel to rotate said wheel an increment in a direction against the action of said spring each time said slide rod is reciprocated, an escapement engaging the pegs of said wheel to hold the wheel against return rotation by said spring, a rock-shaft connected to said dispensing mechanism and adapted to be rocked each time a unit is dispensed, a lifter plate which is raised by the rocking of said rock-shaft, means actuated by the raising of said lifter plate to release the escapement to permit the return rotation of the wheel by said spring the distance of one peg, means also actuated by the raising of said lifter plate to raise said slide rod to move said detent out of the path of said pegs and a dash pot for retaining said slide rod in raised position during said return rotation of the wheel.

2. In mechanism of the kind described for use with electric motor-operated liquid dispensing apparatus, a rotatably mounted wheel carrying a peripheral series of spaced pegs, a spring for returning said wheel to an initial position, a slide rod disposed approximately tangentially to said wheel and reciprocable in a lengthwise direction, a detent carried by said slide rod normally in the path of movement of said pegs and adapted to engage the pegs of said wheel to rotate said wheel an increment in a direction against the bias of said spring each time said slide rod is reciprocated, an escapement engaging the pegs of said wheel to hold the wheel against return rotation by said spring, a rockshaft connected to said dispensing mechanism and adapted to be rocked each time a unit is dispensed, a lifter plate which is raised by the rocking of said rock-shaft, means actuated by the raising of said lifter plate to release the escapement to permit the return rotation of the wheel by' said spring the distance of one peg, means also actuated by the raising of said lifter plate to raise said slide rod to move said detent out of the path of said pegs, a dash pot for delaying the dropping of said slide rod so as to keep the detent out of said path during said return rotation of the wheel and means associated with, and movable with, said wheel for initiating operation of said motor-operated dispensing apparatus upon the first increment of movement of said wheel by said slide rod and for stopping said operation upon return of the wheel to its initial position.

3. In mechanism of the kind described for use with electric motor-operated liquid dispensing apparatus, a rotatably mounted wheel carrying a peripheral series of spaced pegs, a spring for returning said wheel to an initial position, a slide rod disposed approximately tangentially to said wheel and reciprocable in a lengthwise direction, a detent carried by said slide rod normally in the path of movement of said pegs and adapted to engage the pegs of said wheel to rotate said wheel an increment in a direction against the bias of said spring each time said slide rod is reciprocated, a first rock-shaft, an escapement carried by said rock-shaft and engaging the pegs of said wheel to hold the wheel against return rotation by said spring, said escapement being releasable by the rocking of said rock-shaft, a second rock-shaft, an arm carried by said second rock-shaft and adapted to lift said slide rod, when said second rock-shaft is rocked, to move said detent out of the path of said pegs, a dash pot for delaying return movement of said second rock-shaft and hence delaying the lowering of said slide rod, a third rock-shaft, means for connecting said third rockshaft with the dispensing apparatus so as to rock said third rock-shaft each time a unit is dispensed and linkage connecting said third rockshaft with said first and second rock-shafts to release said escapement to permit the return rotation of the wheel by said spring the distance of one peg and concurrently to lift said slide rod when said third rock-shaft is rocked.

A. G. ROWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,097,033 Larson May 19, 1914 1,536,145 Royal May 5, 1925 1,958,763 Mosfelt May 15, 1934 

